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 HIERARCHY

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HIERARCHY

bishops, formerly called bishops in pnrtibus infidelium. These receive episcopal consecration, but have no jurisdiction over the dioceses of which they bear the title. They may be appointed by the pope as auxil- iary bishops or coadjutors to diocesan bishops. In the eighth century there are found, in the West, chore pisco pi, i. e. auxiliary bishops and substitutes for diocesan bishops sede vacante. They had no distinct territory and ceased to exist in the ninth century.

After the bishops in the hierarchy of jurisdiction come the prmlati nullius; they are more correctly styled pnelati nullius cum territorio separata, anil exercise episcopal authority over a territory not be- longing to any diocese; they must be carefully dis- tinguished from the pnrlali nullius cum territorio conjuncto, and from superiors of exempt religious col- leges, whether secular or regular. "Praelati nullius cum territorio conjuncto" exercise a quasi-episcopal authority over a territory which forms part of a dio- cese, whereas superiors of exempt colleges have author- ity only over the personnel of their own community.

In the government of his diocese the bishop is as- sisted by various ecclesiastics. Chief among these formerly was the archdeacon, i. e. the principal deacon of the cathedral church. In time dioceses came to be divided into several archdeaconries, the titulars of which exercised a right of surveillance over their par- ticular territory and enjoyed extensive judicial power. The Council of Trent (1547-65) limited their powers, after which they gradually disappeared. At present the bishop's chief assistant is known as his vicar-general, an institution dating back to the thirteenth century. The members of the cathedral chapter, or canons, make up the council of the bishop, and in certain matters he may not act without their consent. Where there is no chapter, the consultores cleri dioecesnni take their place, but have only at con- sultative voice. To the chapter belongs the right of nominating the vicar capitular, charged with adminis- tering the diocese during a vacancy. After the ninth century archpriests or deans appear, charged with the supervision of the clergy and laity in their districts; it was their duty to enforce the observance of the canons in the administration of church property.

Finally, at the head of a parish is the pastor (parochus), with ordinary jurisdiction. Where par- ishes have not been canonically erected, his place is taken by a "rector", whose jurisdiction is merely delegated, but whose rights and duties are those of a parish priest (see Rector).

A few words are here pertinent concerning the man- ner in which the pope exercises his immediate juris- diction in the various parts of the Catholic world. This is done principally through legates, of whom there are three kinds: (1) legati nati, or incumbents of certain archdioceses to which was formerly attached the right of representing the Holy See (e. g. Canter- bury), such pre-eminence is now purely honorific; (2) legati a latere, or cardinals sent by the pope on extraordinary missions or as temporary representa- tives; (3) nuntii apostolici, i. e. ordinary representa- tives of the pontifical authority in certain countries; they also act as diplomatic representatives with civil governments. When they lack the latter quality they are known as Apostolic delegates. In mission countries, i. e. where the hierarchy is not established, the pope delegates vicars Apostolic, who are, as a rule, titular bishops, and whose rights resemble, in general, those of bishops. Prefects Apostolic govern a mis- sion, whether subject to a vicar Apostolic or not; a final category is known as missionaries Apostolic, who differ from simple missionaries in that they receive their powers directly from the Holy See, "and not from a vicar or prefect Apostolic. When the latter has no coadjutor with the right of succession, he is bound to appoint a pro- vicar or pro-prefect.

In the Eastern Uniat Church the hierarchy in gen-

eral resembles that of the AVest; the variations are few, and may be briefly stated as follows. The Holy See exercises its authority over Churches of the East- ern Rite through a "Congregatio pro negotiis rituum Orientaliimi", attached to Propaganda, but charged exclusively with questions concerning the Eastern Churches; the Holy See acts also through Apostolic delegates. A\'hile the patriarchic organization is pre- served, all patriarchs have not equal powers; some of them are even subject to Apostolic delegates. In the Maronite Church we find among the bishop's assist- ants an archdeacon who is also vicar-general, but has no authority over the priests; an "ceconomus", who looks after the property and revenue of the church, subject to the bishop's supervision; a "periodeuta"or bardflt, charged with the supervision of the churches and the clergy of the diocese (he has also the right to consecrate baptistries, churches, and altars, and, with the con.sent of the patriarch, to administer confirma- tion). The "chorepiscopus" resembles the bardiU, but may also give minor orders. The bishop has the right to establish a chorepiscopus wherever there is a numerous clergy; in the cathedral city itself he is known as the archipreshytcr, or chiiri-episcoupe. These various functions are conferred by a rite resem- bling that of ordination (Silbernagl-Schnitzer, " Ver- fassung und gegenwartiger Bestand samtlicher Kirchen des Orients", Ratisbon, 1904, .34fi .sqq.).

The Hierarchy of the Anglican Church. — The or- ganization of the Anglican closely resembles that of the Catholic Church. In its hierarchy of order it counts three grades of Divine institution, episcopate, priesthood, and diaconate. In its hierarchy of juris- diction come first the archbishops, some of whom have the title of primate, are at the head of an ecclesi- astical province, and may convene a provincial S3'nod or Convocation (see Convocation of the English Clergy). The bishop rules his diocese with the aid of a chancellor or vicar-general; in the larger dioceses there are suffragan or auxiliary bishops. Chapters and deans of cathedral churches have survived, but are not active in diocesan administration. The bishop may convene a diocesan synod. The Angli- cans have also retained archdeacons, deans, and pas- tors. At present the Anglican Church counts 15 ecclesiastical provinces, comprising 216 dioceses; there are 33 dioceses belonging to no province, of which 24 acknowledge to some extent the Archbishop of Canterbury, 2 the Archbishop of York, 3 the Pri- mate of Canada, 4 the Primate of Australia. There are also 42 suffragan bishops. At the time of the schism Henry VIII proclaimed himself head of the Anglican Church ; but the authority of the sovereign in church matters, even within his own dominion, has greatly lessened. The Archbishop of Canterbury en- joys a sort of pre-eminence of honour. Since lin'u a Lambeth Conference is held every ten years at Lon- don, to which all the Anglican bishops of the world are invited. In 1897 it established a " Central Consulta- tive Body", reorganized in 1908, but without judicial authority. In spite of many efforts to unify the An- glican Church this aim has not yet been realized. (Siegmund-Schultze in " Deutsche Zeitschrift fur Kirchenrecht ", 1909, XLI, 52-63.)

Banosius, De politia cirilalis Dei el hierarchid (Frankfort, 1592); Columbus, De angelica et humand hierarchia (Lyons, 1647); Petavius, De eccte^ia.'^licd hierarckiA (Paris, 1643); Hallier, De ecclesiasticd hierarckid (Paris. 1646); Dartis. De nrdinihus et dignitatibus ecclesiasticis (Paris, 1648); Mohinus. Commenlarium de sacris e€r}esi(B ordinationibus (Antwerp! 16951; BiNER. Tractates de SummA Triniiate, fide cathnlicd et hterarchid etelesiastifA (Augsburg, 176.5); ANDREucn. Ifiernr- ehia ecclesiaslica in rarias sims partes dixtrihiila (Rome. 17661; Hoffmann. De erclesio! catholiem hierarchui him ordinin ovum ]imsdictioni.i (Warsaw, 1S25); Schneeman. Die kirchlirhe Gewalt vnd thre Triiner in Slimmen mix Maria-Lanrh. Supple- ment VII (1S67). — See also theolosical works on the tract De erele.iv'i et de Romann pnnlifire: likewise treatises on orders, v. g. Oasparri, Trartntiis canoniens de saerd nrdinatione (Paris, 189.3); Many, Prirlertionex de sacrd ordinntitme (Paris, 1905) — oee also manuals on canon law, especially Hinschius, System des